New Level 1 adult trauma center planned for Chicago’s South Side communities

Sinai Health System and the University of Chicago Medicine partner to provide trauma care services at Holy Cross Hospital

September 11, 2015
In a move to create a more comprehensive system of needed trauma and emergency care for Chicago’s South and Southwest side communities, Sinai Health System and the University of Chicago Medicine are partnering to build and operate a Level 1 adult trauma center and to expand emergency services.

The UChicago Medicine and Sinai Health System new joint Level 1 adult trauma center will be at Holy Cross Hospital, part of the Sinai Health System. Holy Cross, at 68th Street and California Avenue, is near some of the highest incidence of trauma injury and gun violence in the city.

Under the University of Chicago Medicine-Sinai Health System partnership:

UChicago Medicine will provide capital to help fund the facility improvements at Holy Cross Hospital, which are estimated to be in the range of $40 million.

Sinai Health System, which operates a trauma center at Mount Sinai Hospital, will provide specialists dedicated to trauma care, including emergency department physicians, anesthesiologists, and nursing staff, along with trauma care support services.

UChicago Medicine will provide specialists at the new trauma center dedicated to trauma care, including general trauma, neurological, orthopedic and plastic surgeons, urologists, and other areas.

In addition to the new trauma center at Holy Cross, UChicago Medicine plans to increase access to emergency services on its Hyde Park campus by expanding and building a state-of-the-art adult emergency department.

“This new Level 1 adult trauma center is a true community and civic effort, and the City of Chicago looks forward to working with the key stakeholders to bring this to fruition,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I commend the University of Chicago, Sinai Health System, and Holy Cross Hospital for working collaboratively to meet an important need on the South Side. This partnership will strengthen their longstanding commitment to their communities and proves once again why these institutions are an asset to our great city.”

Both institutions bring significant experience and expertise to the partnership. Holy Cross Hospital, which serves many communities including Englewood, Auburn Gresham and Marquette Park, is one of the largest providers of emergency care in Illinois. Sinai Health System and UChicago Medicine run high-volume emergency departments. Sinai Health System has provided Level 1 trauma care for more than 25 years. UChicago Medicine has had dedicated Level 1 pediatric trauma and burn units at its Comer Children’s Hospital for over a decade.

“We are bringing together the best to do the most,” Teitelbaum said. “Since Holy Cross became part of our health care network in 2013, we have been seeking ways to expand its reach, especially when it comes to acute care and violence prevention. Bringing the expertise and resources of the University of Chicago Medicine and Sinai Health System together, we can do exponentially more for all of the communities on the south and southwest side of the city.”

Sinai Health System and UChicago Medicine have a longstanding collaborative relationship, sharing the care of patients and their communities through both clinical services and dedicated programs that promote wellness and prevention. Both organizations believe collaboration and shared responsibility are critical to addressing the overarching health care needs of the South sides, especially when it comes to emergency and trauma care and prevention of violence.

“This important opportunity allows us to extend our commitment to invest our resources where we can have the greatest impact on the critical health needs of our communities,” said University of Chicago Medical Center President Sharon O’Keefe. “This collaborative partnership, a model for other care providers, leverages our collective experience and resources to expand access to life-saving, quality health care for the communities we serve.”

The partnership anticipates filing a Certificate of Need application with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, and will also seek approval with the Illinois Department of Public Health. The approval processes and construction are expected to take at least two years. Both organizations will use that time to recruit additional highly trained medical staff, nurses and other healthcare professionals to work with existing specialists from both institutions at the new trauma center. Next steps also include meetings with community leaders to develop companion community programs focused on wellness and prevention.

About the University of Chicago MedicineThe University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences is one of America’s leading academic medical institutions. It comprises the Pritzker School of Medicine, the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the University of Chicago Medical Center. In addition to being a non-profit teaching and research facility, it provides distinct services to the community, including the South Side’s only burn unit and pediatric trauma center, a neonatal intensive care unit, comprehensive emergency departments for adults and children and the city’s only hospital-based emergency helicopter service. For more information, visit www.uchospitals.edu